Protect yourself from uninsured drivers

Despite a mandatory minimum car insurance requirement that includes uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, almost 16% of drivers in Wisconsin do not have auto insurance (Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists: 2017-2023 | Insurance Research Council). Nationally, one out of every three drivers does not carry auto insurance coverage (2023).

Injuries to you or your family from an auto accident can create considerable financial hardship if the at-fault driver has insufficient insurance and/or has no other financial means to compensate you for your losses. However, if you find yourself in this situation, you may be able to receive compensation for your injuries and other costs from your own UM/UIM coverage.

It’s not only important that you have UM/UIM coverage, but that you have the appropriate amount of coverage to avoid a potential financial catastrophe.

What is UM/UIM coverage?

UM coverage protects you and your family if you are injured by another driver in a hit-and-run accident or if the other driver has no auto insurance.

UIM coverage is triggered when you’re in an accident with an at-fault driver who has insufficient limits of liability insurance to cover your damages.

What does it cover?

UM/UIM coverage covers situations including:

UM/UIM coverage also covers:

How much coverage should I have?

While all Wisconsin drivers are required by law to have UM and UIM coverage on their auto policies, the amount of coverage you choose is an important consideration.

Having an adequate amount of UM/UIM coverage can help protect your finances. The Wisconsin state minimum for UM coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. UIM coverage can be rejected, but if taken the minimum is $50,000/$100,000. However, Member Benefits typically recommends much higher minimum coverages.

When considering how much coverage you need, think about the real costs associated with injury, lost wages, and more if you’re in an accident with a UM or UIM motorist. However, every situation is different. Let one of our personal insurance consultants help determine the right amount of coverage for you.

The bottom line

Don’t risk your financial security if you’re in a situation where someone else is not covered. Make sure you’re properly insured—we can help you get the coverage that is best for you.

Questions about UM/UIM insurance coverage? We’ll help you become a more knowledgeable insurance consumer. Call 1-800-279-4030 or sign up for a phone consultation.

Protect today, save tomorrow

Buying a home. Children. Retirement. With flexible term life insurance through Ladder, you can customize your coverage to meet your changing needs as life moves forward.

Reduce your coverage amount (and premiums) as your needs change, saving you money over time.

Ladder is completely digital. There are no doctors, no needles, and no paperwork when you apply for $3 million in coverage or less. And our members and their families may be eligible for a life insurance policy no matter where they live in the United States.

With Ladder, you can:

Get started with Ladder life insurance.

Fall home maintenance checklist

Prep your yard. Tidy up and put away or cover outdoor furniture (make sure it’s secure!) and look around for overgrown trees and branches that could potentially clog your gutters.

Clear your gutters. Blocked gutters can lead to roof leaks and indoor water damage. A plastic spatula can be snipped to fit gutter contours and make it easier to clean out debris and wipe off grime. A plumber’s snake can help you pull clumps of leaves out of clogged downspouts. Consider a gutter leaf cover or specially designed gutter system to avoid annual cleanup.

Check your roof. Give it a once-over for cracked or missing shingles, water stains, or other issues.

Plug drafts. Check windows and doors for gaps and purchase strips or insulating foam to eliminate them. Install foam gaskets around electrical outlets on outside walls.

Test your detectors. Be sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working. Some may need an annual battery change, but many smoke detector models are typically good for 10 years. CO detectors last about six years.

Insulate pipes. Foam insulation around your hot water pipes can keep your water hotter for longer. During cold weather, turn off the water to your outdoor faucets or purchase an insulated faucet cover.

Make outdoor repairs. Have a broken fence or gate, or uneven paving stones? Now is a good time to correct those issues and avoid someone getting injured on your property.

Clean your chimney. Creosote and soot can build up in the chimney flue and ignite. If it’s been a while, now is a good time to schedule a cleaning and inspection before you light up the fireplace again.

Protect yourself financially. Make sure you are properly covered in case of a claim. Member Benefits can help you determine the most appropriate coverage for your needs. Schedule a personal consultation today or call 1-800-279-4030.

Sources: Forbes, Mr. Handyman, The Family Handyman.

Home and auto liability: Are you covered?

What is liability coverage?

If you are found responsible for someone else’s injuries or property damage, liability insurance helps protect you financially.

Why do you need liability coverage?

The liability coverage amounts in your auto and home insurance policies may not be enough to cover your assets. Having an appropriate amount of liability coverage can give you peace of mind.

Types of liability coverage

Auto

Property and bodily injury

Example: You glance at your phone approaching an intersection and miss the light turning red. Unable to stop in time, you crash into another car, injuring the driver and totaling their vehicle. You’d be responsible for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Home

Injuries or property damage

Home liability can arise in many ways—like a neighbor’s dog you’re watching biting a guest, a diseased tree falling on a neighbor or their home, a guest tripping on a rug and getting hurt, or someone leaving your party drunk and causing an accident.

Umbrella

Personal liability insurance

Umbrella insurance provides extra liability protection beyond your auto and home policies. It safeguards your assets (home equity, savings, future income) if you’re liable for damages exceeding your primary coverage limits, potentially preventing attorneys from targeting them.

How much coverage do I need?

In general, if the amount of equity you have in your home plus savings and investments is MORE than the highest amount of liability coverage on your policy, you may want to consider personal liability (umbrella)coverage. Consider meeting with a financial advisor to review your assets and recommend the amount of liability coverage you may need.

What about cost?

Many factors can affect your premium. But you could save up to 25% off your home policy with our auto/home bundle!

Why choose Member Benefits?

Call us at 1-800-279-4030

Get an insurance quote

Schedule a personal insurance consultation

Warm weather, cool coverage!

Whether you’re hitting the water, the trails, or the open road, Member Benefits can help protect all your favorite warm-weather toys. From boats and electric bikes to 4-wheelers, UTVs, and even hobby farms—we’ve got you covered.

Based on the type of item you have and the way you intend to use it, we can help you understand the best way to insure it with recreational vehicle and toy insurance. Many of these “toys” have unique needs, and your policy should be written accordingly.

If you are interested in insuring a boat, RV, motorcycle, or other recreational vehicle or toy, give us a call at 1-800-279-4030.

Enjoy the season, we’ll take care of the rest.

Life insurance is for those you love

Life insurance is easy to understand. It’s there to help your family financially. But there is also an emotional value to life insurance—one that can be an act of love.

For example, life insurance may help your family stay in the home where so many memories were made, helping to preserve those memories and providing stability for the important people in your life. It may also help your family reach life goals they are hoping to fulfill, such as a college degree, clearing out debt, or making retirement a reality.

It’s a simple answer to a very difficult question: How will my loved ones manage financially if something were to happen to me?

Showing your love by protecting your assets for your family can be more affordable—and easier—than you might think. Member Benefits has partnered with Ladder, a life insurance company that offers term life insurance nationwide. That means our members and their families may be eligible for a life insurance policy no matter where they live in the United States.

Ladder is completely digital. There are no doctors, no needles, and no paperwork when you apply for $3 million in coverage or less. With Ladder, you can:

Regardless of the level of insurance you choose, Ladder can help you minimize the costs that may keep your family from focusing on getting through a tough time. See it as helping to create a financial legacy plan for your family—with love.

Learn more about life insurance powered by Ladder.

Understand your roof coverage

Climate change is making a significant impact on our society. The changes in weather patterns, including more frequent and severe storms, have greatly impacted insureds and the insurance industry. These storms can create massive amounts of damage to homes, with roof replacements driving a large portion of the loss.

As the industry tries to contain costs and keep premiums affordable, roof coverage has begun to shift from Replacement Cost (RC) coverage, which upgrades a damaged roof with a brand new one of similar quality, to Actual Cash Value (ACV) coverage for roofing claims.

ACV coverage depreciates roof claim payments based on the age and materials of the roof relative to its life expectancy. At its most basic, it is a calculation of replacement cost minus depreciation. Insurance companies typically offer a defined depreciation schedule that states the percentage of coverage based on age and type of roofing material.

Roofs have a typical life expectancy of 25-30 years. With ACV coverage, the insurance company is responsible for covering the remaining life left in the damaged roof, and the homeowner covers the cost of upgrading their older roof to a new one.

After careful consideration, Member Benefits has decided that in order to keep premiums affordable and in line with the marketplace, we need to shift to ACV coverage for roof claims. If you have a home insurance policy with us, watch for more details in your next renewal. It will include a separate deductible for wind and hail claims and a loss settlement schedule for roofs based on their age and material.

We’re confident that our depreciation schedule and deductible options are some of the more generous and customer-friendly offerings in the marketplace today. We hope this article helps you understand your roof coverage and what it will mean for you at the time of a claim. Please call us with any questions or concerns at 1-800-279-4030.

It’s important for homeowners to:

  • Understand your insurance coverage.
  • Budget ahead for roof replacement.
  • Consider stronger roof types when replacing your roof, such as impact resistant shingles, metal roofs, etc.

Help your family with their expenses

Did you know Member Benefits offers term life insurance through Ladder—and that it’s available to members nationwide?

If you’re wondering whether you need life insurance in retirement, ask yourself: How will my loved ones manage financially if something were to happen to me? If you think they will struggle with daily living expenses, funeral costs, medical bills, or other costs, you may want to consider a life insurance policy.

Get a no-obligation price estimate by visiting our national website.

Take advantage of this perk!

Did you know that as an added benefit for WEA Member Benefits’ home policyholders, you have free access to a program where you can create many important legal documents?

Personal Risk ProtectionTM is an easy-to-use online service that can save you and your family hundreds of dollars.

Options include:

Renting out a property with a lease, and more.

Visit the Personal Risk Protection page to learn more, then call 1-800-279-4030 to get your registration code.

Medicare supplement and life insurance available nationwide

Managing your health care costs

Medical expenses can easily become one of the most expensive costs in your retirement. If you are turning 65 and need to go on Medicare (or already have Medicare), you may want help managing and budgeting your health care expenses with predictability.

Member Benefits offers Medicare Supplement Insurance, also known as Medigap. This is a separate policy you can buy from a private company that works with Medicare Part A (covering inpatient care, skilled nursing, hospice, and home health care) and Part B (covering doctor services, outpatient care, and preventive services). Medigap helps cover costs like coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles that aren’t covered by Medicare.

Our partner is Associates of Clifton Park, a trusted provider for Medicare supplemental insurance. They’ll help you find the perfect policy tailored to your needs and budget.

Help your family with their expenses

Member Benefits also offers term life insurance through Ladder, available to members nationwide.

If you’re wondering whether you need life insurance in retirement, ask yourself: How will my loved ones manage financially if something were to happen to me? If you think they will struggle with daily living expenses, funeral costs, medical bills, or other costs, you may want to consider a life insurance policy.

Get no-obligation price estimate on life insurance.

Learn more about Medicare supplement and life insurance.